Global’s H1N1 Update – 04/29/10

*Cases reported by The World Health Organization (WHO) are as of April 4, 2010

International News

Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration has widened its probe into CSL’s seasonal flu vaccine, which includes the pandemic strain, after children receiving the shot had fevers and convulsions. The agency asked all states and territories to examine all reports of fever in children under 5 for evidence of any pattern. Also, New Zealand reported today that five children experienced convulsions after flu vaccinations, according to news reports in that country. Bloomberg

Researchers found that the commonly used CDC case definition may not work for detecting mild pandemic H1N1 flu. They reviewed medical records of 44 patients with lab-confirmed H1N1 who were hospitalized in early summer 2009 and found that many of them had no fever. They found cough to be a more sensitive H1N1 indicator. The authors conclude that “the standard case definition for 2009 H1N1 influenza has low sensitivity for mild influenza infection.” American Journal of Infection Control